Originally posted by shurleys:
Can you book the Celebrity shuttle evn if you make your own air travel arrangements? or hotel arrangements in Rome before the cruise?

Yes, you can from the airport as long as you're flying in the day of the sailing and departing the day the ship returns. If you're coming in a day or more early (recommended by most here) there is a pick up at one of the hotels you can also arrange through your agent or Celeb. They'll give you the location and meeting time when you add the transfers. Have you flight itinerary ready when you call if you want transfers from the airport, they'll need to record them in your booking.

We just came home from our cruise with Costa,they were offering bus transportation from the ship directly to the airport for E25. per person. Our flight was leaving the next morning (Tuesday) at 6:AM as we were going thru Amsterdam and then on to Toronto, so we had 20 hours to kill. We were going to try to change our flight to Amsterdam so the ships personell got us on the first bus out. Unfortunately, trying to change flight schedule is darn near impossible unless you want to spend a fortune. We decided to take a room at the Hilton right at the airport, our room was expensive, but they do have rooms starting at E$129. We arrived at the airport on the Monday at around 11:AM. So to kill time, we took the train in from the airport to Rome and wandered around had a nice dinner, went back to the room and slept until 3:30AM. The cost for the train from the airport to Rome is E11. per person.

I've been following this thread with interest.
We also are arriving Rome to fly back to (in our case) Toronto. Celebrity Galaxy arrives Civ at 5 am, May 19, 2008. Tell me what you think, guys, please:
1. There is a n/s to Toronto from Rome at 12:30pm - do you think we'd make it (we're pre-booked for transfer to the airport).
What, if anything, interesting will we see en route to Rome airport? I don't suppose we'd go via the city centre? I'd love to glimpse The Vatican.

I'm thinking that anyone wishing to stay over in Rome do so for at least 2 nights, as there is a very good chance you'll be on plane at, say 7 am, which means very little time to sightsee if you only stay over one night.